wzwy's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ltwardwriter's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
kemendraugh's review against another edition
4.0
What a strange little faerie story. I think I liked it? Probably three and a half stars.
jskstarr's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Misogyny, Gaslighting, and Physical abuse
Minor: Child abuse
One of the charactersSpoiler
is badly beaten by her father as a punishment for having a baby outside marriage.Spoiler
treated like milk cows by the fae, one of them experiences psychological distress from this and tries to burn a baby alive.robotwitch's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 rounded up. A sweet, and fairly quaint, little faerie story.
leticiatoraci's review against another edition
2.0
An interesting Novella with Fae. I wish there would be more chapters to this story with these characters and world, this felt like the beginning of a novel length story.
verkisto's review
4.0
Many of the novellas I've read lately have been heavy, thoughtful pieces about real issues. I like that sort of fiction. Story is still king, so the issues have to work in service to the issues, and there's nothing that annoys me more than a book that is more issue than story. If I have to choose between the two, I will always choose story.
Domnall and the Borrowed Child isn't about issues, but it's a well-told story that doesn't let go once you begin reading. Domnall is an old, crotchety fae creature who is sent out to find a baby to swap with one of their own ill children. Mother's milk is the only thing that will cure the child, but with fewer and fewer of their own kind brave enough to go into the outside world, it falls on Domnall to make that journey.
Wrigley's storytelling is natural and approachable. Her characters are fully realized, and the relationships she creates between them are believable. It's a light story, but the threats are real, and the consequences serious, so you wind up reading to make sure that everything will turn out okay in the end. These are the best kinds of stories. There were a couple of anachronisms in the dialogue that pulled me out of the story -- I'm not convinced that "Catch up with you later" is a phrase used by the fae -- but they're minor quibbles.
The story ends with enough unanswered questions to make me hope that this is just the first in a series. I'd like to see more adventures involving Domnall, not just because of how this novella ends, but also because of how well this story is written. Domnall and the Borrowed Child is one of those stories that's just a delight to read.
Domnall and the Borrowed Child isn't about issues, but it's a well-told story that doesn't let go once you begin reading. Domnall is an old, crotchety fae creature who is sent out to find a baby to swap with one of their own ill children. Mother's milk is the only thing that will cure the child, but with fewer and fewer of their own kind brave enough to go into the outside world, it falls on Domnall to make that journey.
Wrigley's storytelling is natural and approachable. Her characters are fully realized, and the relationships she creates between them are believable. It's a light story, but the threats are real, and the consequences serious, so you wind up reading to make sure that everything will turn out okay in the end. These are the best kinds of stories. There were a couple of anachronisms in the dialogue that pulled me out of the story -- I'm not convinced that "Catch up with you later" is a phrase used by the fae -- but they're minor quibbles.
The story ends with enough unanswered questions to make me hope that this is just the first in a series. I'd like to see more adventures involving Domnall, not just because of how this novella ends, but also because of how well this story is written. Domnall and the Borrowed Child is one of those stories that's just a delight to read.
beckylej's review
4.0
The war claimed the best of the fae. Now there are no warriors and no elders with real wisdom. Those who remain do their best and work to train and prepare the young, but with only the fae who weren't strong or brave or smart enough to fight left it means the young are lacking in the better qualities as well.
Domnall isn't going to be the one to fix things. He's an older fae who'd rather avoid responsibility at all cost. Unfortunately, he's one of the few with the knowledge to help when a young fae falls ill, and even Domnall isn't coldhearted enough to risk one of their young!
Domnall knows that the only thing that can truly help is Mother's milk, which means finding a newborn human and swapping the two young ones temporarily. But the locals have taken extra precautions to guard against the fae, baptizing their children just days after the birth. Now will take all of Domnall's wit and cunning to save the young fae. And wit and cunning are key when Domnall's plan goes south fast.
Changelings! And fae! And changelings!
If I could make one request of Sylvia Spruck Wrigley, it would be for more stories set in Domnall's world. The tale is seated firmly in common fairy tale lore, but is told from the perspective of one of the fae.
And that fae is quite a fun one. He'll criticize the direction the other fae are heading but he isn't motivated to do anything about it unless it directly benefits him. His mission is undertaken in part to get others off his back and in part with the knowledge that it might impress a girl. And there's a little niggling guilt about the sick child as well. Like I said, he's not THAT coldhearted.
The story is pretty all encompassing, a wily adventure tale fraught with a little danger and suspense. I would very much like a tale about the war and a tale that takes place after Domnall and the Borrowed Child as well, but the one does stand alone without issue.
Domnall and the Borrowed Child is a story to be gobbled and gulped up in one sitting. I think Domnall himself would agree, considering. He'd also probably like it very much if you told everyone about his adventure.
Domnall isn't going to be the one to fix things. He's an older fae who'd rather avoid responsibility at all cost. Unfortunately, he's one of the few with the knowledge to help when a young fae falls ill, and even Domnall isn't coldhearted enough to risk one of their young!
Domnall knows that the only thing that can truly help is Mother's milk, which means finding a newborn human and swapping the two young ones temporarily. But the locals have taken extra precautions to guard against the fae, baptizing their children just days after the birth. Now will take all of Domnall's wit and cunning to save the young fae. And wit and cunning are key when Domnall's plan goes south fast.
Changelings! And fae! And changelings!
If I could make one request of Sylvia Spruck Wrigley, it would be for more stories set in Domnall's world. The tale is seated firmly in common fairy tale lore, but is told from the perspective of one of the fae.
And that fae is quite a fun one. He'll criticize the direction the other fae are heading but he isn't motivated to do anything about it unless it directly benefits him. His mission is undertaken in part to get others off his back and in part with the knowledge that it might impress a girl. And there's a little niggling guilt about the sick child as well. Like I said, he's not THAT coldhearted.
The story is pretty all encompassing, a wily adventure tale fraught with a little danger and suspense. I would very much like a tale about the war and a tale that takes place after Domnall and the Borrowed Child as well, but the one does stand alone without issue.
Domnall and the Borrowed Child is a story to be gobbled and gulped up in one sitting. I think Domnall himself would agree, considering. He'd also probably like it very much if you told everyone about his adventure.
jvan's review against another edition
3.0
It was cute enough, though very slight. The title is a bit of an odd choice, as there is a borrowed child, but only for a short while, and not at the end or anything. Titles are a bit of sausage making, however, and one never knows what goes into them. There's nothing particularly distinctive about the novella, but there's nothing particularly bad about it, either, so it works out to be a pleasant distraction.
briarsreviews's review against another edition
3.0
Domnall and the Borrowed Child was a nice short story.
This story seemed like it was based on a much larger work. I felt like there was a back story to these characters that I did not know about, although this did not affect the quality of the book. It was a short, cute story that seemed like it was a fairy tale. I felt like I could have read this story to a child and they would have benefited from it much more than I did.
The story progressed well and I did not feel like it ended to soon or that it could have been pressed on further. I could see this novella turning into a full blown series with this just as a side story.
Not a lot happens plot wise, but it was a cute enough story that a child would enjoy. It wasn't to scary and wasn't to confusing for a child to not understand.
I enjoyed this book, but I wasn't so obsessed that I want to read all of Sylvia Spruck Wrigley's work.
Keep up the great writing Sylvia! I enjoyed it! I would love to see this universe expanded on.
Three out of five stars.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
This story seemed like it was based on a much larger work. I felt like there was a back story to these characters that I did not know about, although this did not affect the quality of the book. It was a short, cute story that seemed like it was a fairy tale. I felt like I could have read this story to a child and they would have benefited from it much more than I did.
The story progressed well and I did not feel like it ended to soon or that it could have been pressed on further. I could see this novella turning into a full blown series with this just as a side story.
Not a lot happens plot wise, but it was a cute enough story that a child would enjoy. It wasn't to scary and wasn't to confusing for a child to not understand.
I enjoyed this book, but I wasn't so obsessed that I want to read all of Sylvia Spruck Wrigley's work.
Keep up the great writing Sylvia! I enjoyed it! I would love to see this universe expanded on.
Three out of five stars.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.